Steering and throttle control for outboard motors



H. A. MORE-Y Nov. 251952 STEERING AND THROTTLE CONTROL FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Filed May 27, 1950 Enventor H/IRL AN A. M025) attc vrneg Patented Nov. 25, 1952 STEERING AND THROTTLE CONTROL FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Harlan A. Morey, Beverly Hills, Calif.

Application May 27, 1950, Serial No. 164,640

Claims.

This invention relates to a steering and throttle controlling device for outboard motors, the primary purpose of the invention being to provide a control device that can be operated from a position intermediate a boat rather than from a position adjacent the transom as heretofore. The present means facilitates fishing from a rowboat or like small craft in that the control of the boat may be efiected with equal facility while facing fore or aft.

The invention has for an object to provide a device of the character referred to that can readily be fastened to a gunwale of a small boat and to the outboard motor thereof and as easily removed, the device embodying a single control handle by means of which the motor is pivoted relative to the boat to steer the latter and, also, the throttle of said motor manipulated to control speed of travel.

The invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in'use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the'following description. However, the drawings merely show and the following description merely describes one embodiment of the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

Fig. l is a plan view showing a preferred embodiment of the invention in operative position on an outboard motor-equipped rowboat.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View thereof.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view as taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged cross-sectional views taken on the respective lines 4-i and 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the left hand end of Fig. 3.

The control device illustrated in the drawing comprises means it adapted to be removably connected to the gunwale of a boat, an articulated and elongated connection H guided for movement in the means it, an arm i2 connected to an outboard motor and controlled by connection Ii, and linkage means I3 connected to the throttle of said motor and also controlled by connection H.

The drawing shows a generally conventional rowboat I4 having gunwales I5 (of which one is shown) and a transom It at the stern, and a typical outboard motor I! mounted on the transom. Said motor has a throttle I8 whereby the speed thereof is controlled, and a handle I9 by means of which the motor is pivotally moved on a vertical pivot 2i! to effect steering of the rowboat. It is to such a conventional boat and motor combination that the present means is adapted to be applied.

The means In comprises an elongated mounting member 2| having an angle cross-section and engageable with the gunwale I5 of boat [4 at a point remote from transom l6. Said member has a top flange 22 adapted to rest upon the gunwale and a side flange Z3 engaged against the inner side of said gunwale. The member 2| is held in place as by a pair of spaced clamps 24 having threaded engagement with clamp screws 25 passing through and guided by cleats 26 afiixed to member 2|. The handles 21 of screws 25 have abutment with cleats 25 when drawn up to pull the latter tightly against the outer side of the gunwale.

The means further includes a pair of guides for the connection II, the same comprising a guide tube 28 mounted at one end of member 2| and a bracket 29 carrying upper and lower grooved rollers 3s spaced to pass connection II. The space between said rollers, of course, is aligned with tube 28.

The connection I I comprises an elongated tube 3| that passes loosely through guide tube 28 and between rollers 30 so that the same is axially movable relative to means II and also revoluble on its axis. Said tube 3| is substantially longer than the spacing of the above-defined guides and at one end is provided with an offset handle 32 and at the other with a universal joint 33. The connection I I further includes an elongated tube 34 connected at one end by joint 33 to tube 3| and at the other, by a universal joint 35, to arm l2.

The arm [2, at one end, is removably, yet fixedly, connected to handle I9 of the outboard motor I1 and at its free end there is provided a bearing block 36 revolubly mounting the universal joint 35. Since handle IQ of different motors may vary in its elevated position relative to the top of the gunwale, the universal joints enable an accommodating angular disposition of tube 34 relative to tube 3|, substantially as indicated. Also, since arm [2 has swinging movement on motor pivot 213, block 36 has arcuate travel that is allowed by said universal joints.

Arm I2 is shown as a channel-sectioned member that is provided with a notch 31 through which motor handle [9 projects; a U-clamp 38, in register with said notch, is employed to tightly lock arm l2 to handle [9, said clamp being quickly tightened or loosened as by a knob 39 threadedly engaged with one leg of said clamp and within easy reach at the top of arm I2. Since handle I9 is initially adjustable relative to the motor, considerable flexibility of adjustment is available when mounting the present means in operative position.

It will be apparent that a person grasping handle 32, which is remote from motor H, can, by pushing aft or pulling forward, swing the motor on its pivot 20 to steer boat I4, as desired.

The linkage means I3 comprises anarm 40 that extends from a block 4| pivoted in'block '36 and connected to joint 35, a link 42 connected by a pivot 43 to the free end of arm 40, and a swivel 44.0n theopposite end of said link and connected to throttle l8 of the motor. Arm .49 can .be adjusted for .length on threads 45 so thatswivel 44 can achieve proper connection with the throttle of various motors. Also, link 42 is curved adjacent to the swivel .to obviate interference with themotorwhen the same is steered in one direction.

It will be .seen that .for any position .of the motor, by swinging handle 32 around the axis of tube 3|, the linkage means [3 will efiect movement of the. throttle accordingly. Itwill also be seen that the adjusted position of the throttle is notv disturbed when handle 32 is pushed or pulled tosteer the boat.

The means herein provided entails no change whatever in the boat or motor and the same can be applied without tools of any kind.

While the invention that has been illustrated and described is now regarded as the preferred embodiment,'.the construction is, of course, subject to modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore not desired to restrict the invention'to the particular form of construction illustrated and .described, butto .cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended'claims.

Havingv thus describedthe invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A device ,for controlling the pivotallymounted outboard motor of a small boat, said motor having a throttle, said device comprising unitary support means adapted for removable mounting on the gunwale of a boat and having fixedly spaced-guides thereon, an articulated connection including a tube extending through said guides and said tube having a handle to both rotate and push and pull the connection, selectively, an .arm interconnecting .said connection 4 and motor to effect steering the latter on its pivot during push or pull of said handle, and linkage generally coextensive with said arm and interconnecting the connection and the throttle of the motor to effect operation of the throttle during rotational movement of said handle.

2. The device according to claim 1, in which the articulated connection, in addition to the mentioned tube, includes asecond tube, said two tubes beingin general longitudinal arrangement and a universal joint connecting the adjacent ends of said tubes.

,3. .The device according to claim 1 in which said unitary support means comprises an elongated angle-sectioned member having clamps .thereon to removably mount the member on the gunwale and one of the spaced guides comprising a pair of grooved guide rollers.

4. The device according to claim 1 in which the arm that interconnects the articulated connection and the motor is removably and fixedly connected to a steering handle provided on said motor, and said arm is disposed transverse to the general disposition of the articulated connection.

5. A steering and throttle control for the pivotally-mounted outboard motor of a small boat, saidmotor having a relatively short steering handle, said control comprising an arm having one end fixedly yet removably secured to said steering handle of the motor and extending substantially at .right angles to said steering handle, a bearing block mounted on the free end of said arm,.a revoluble member carried vby the bearing block, an elongated articulated and guided means 'connected to the revoluble member to push and pull said free end of the arm and thereby steer the motor on its pivot, articulated linkage generally coextensive with said arm and thereabove and intel-connecting the revoluble member and the throttle of the motor, said linkage being actuated by axial rotation of the elongated articulated and guided means to adjust said throttle, and a handle on the elongated articulated and guided means remote from the motor .for selectively pushing and pulling or rotating .said elongated articulated and guided means.

HARLAN A. MOREY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file .ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 715,882 Sheen Dec. 16, 1902 1,453,651 Alexander May 1, 1923 1,825,240 Miller Sept. 29, 1931 1,843,272 Evinrude Feb. 2, 1932 2,365,490 Pieron Dec. 19, 1944 2,543,553 McAllister Feb. 27, 1951 

